8 malnourished and injured horses rescued from Sunnyside property, Houston SPCA says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Several injured and malnourished horses were rescued on Thursday afternoon by the Houston SPCA from a Sunnyside property.

The rescue happened just days before a winter freeze is expected in the Houston area.

SPCA representatives told ABC13 they received a cruelty report from a community member who spotted the eight horses in a debris-filled field on Scott Street between Reed and Airport. Representatives believe the horses had been out there suffering for a while.

"The day that they're rescued is their worst day and their best day," Julie Kuenstle, Houston SPCA vice president of communications, said.

The SPCA released images of the malnourished and injured horses and said their team spent the afternoon loading and transporting the horses to their rehabilitation center.

"They had severe eye injury... open wounds... arthritis... there was a whole slew of things they were suffering in addition to starvation and then also finding at the scene multiple skeletal remains of other horses," Kuenstle said.

She said these neglected and starving horses underwent examinations Thursday afternoon and were put on a refeeding program.

Kuenstle adds that Precinct 1 served a warrant in order to allow the Houston SPCA to remove the animals from the property and into their care.

"We don't know what would have happened come Monday if they're in the condition that they're in," Kuenstle said.

She says animal cruelty is a felony, and there's an ongoing investigation. She adds that a judge will determine next week if the SPCA will receive full custody of the horses.

You can report animal cruelty by calling 713-869-7722 or visit their website at houstonspca.org.

For updates on this story, follow Daniela Hurtado on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.